New laws in place for quad bike riders

Quad bike riders could face fines of £500 if they are not wearing a helmet under new regulations which came into force yesterday.

Riders of four-wheel quad and all-terrain bikes are now required by law to wear a helmet when travelling on the public road network – an extension of the laws that had previously applied to motorcycle riders in Northern Ireland.

Those found in breach of the law can be fined up to £500.

The new legislation will apply only to public roads as the Department for Infrastructure does not have the powers to legislate for private land.

Figures provided by the PSNI show that in the 10 year period between 2006 and 2016, five people were killed and 71 people were injured while riding on a quad bike on a public road.

The police do not collate data on collisions that occur on private roads.